Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers
An inventory of the papers at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University
Summary |
|
| Creator: | Lowenstein, Alexander |
| Title: | Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers |
| Dates: | 1967-2013 |
| Size: | 10.5 linear feet, 19 boxes |
| Abstract: | The Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers contain materials relating to contains materials relating to Alex Lowenstein, one of the 35 students killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 while returning from studying abroad through Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA), his parents, Peter and Suse Lowenstein, and his brother, Lucas. Materials relating to Suse Lowenstein's sculpture Dark Elegy are also included. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/pan-am-103 |
Biography
Alexander Lowenstein (1967-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. He was one of the 35 Syracuse University students traveling home after a semester abroad. Alexander (also known as Alex or Alexi) was an English major, but hoped to pursue a degree in clinical psychology so he could work in a psychiatric clinic after he graduated. Alex was a brother in the Zeta Psi fraternity at SU and sat on the Inter-fraternity Council.
"Alexander was very special. His ability to fully enjoy life; to make us laugh; to draw his peers to him; to make us love him" his parents recall. Alex was a water person who loved surfing and scuba diving near his parent's home in Montauk on Long Island. He was survived by his parents Suse and Peter and his brother Lucas.
Suse Lowenstein is an accomplished sculptor; her pivotal work Dark Elegy has garnered much acclaim and commentary over the years and has served as a reminder of the evils of terrorism. Dark Elegy is a sculpture garden containing 75 larger than life pieces that depict a woman at the moment she learned her loved one had been killed on Pan Am 103. Each figure was sculpted from life and Suse has even created a sculpture of herself. Dark Elegy is a tribute to all victims of terrorism and Suse hopes to find it a permanent home in a public location where it may be freely accessible.
Scope and Content Note
The Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers contain ten series, some with subseries.
Artwork contains sketches done by Alexander Lowenstein. These items are all undated.
Audiovisual materials includes film and audio recordings, including footage of Alexander Lowenstein surfing and spending time at the beach with his family. Other videos show Alex in a competition at his high school and performing in a show called "Park Place". All video has been converted to DVD. Also included in this series are audio cassettes that belonged to Alexander Lowenstein. Some of these are original albums and others are mix tapes.
Clippings is primarily organized chronologically. Oversize clippings are stored separately and are not in chronological order. Clippings related to Dark Elegy are found in that series.
Correspondence is divided into subseries for Alexander Lowenstein, condolences, general correspondence files and correspondence with people in Lockerbie. The last two subseries are organized alphabetically by correspondent. The subseries for Alex's personal correspondence is organized chronologically as is the subseries for Condolences. Correspondence related to Dark Elegy is found in that series. Many of the letters from people in Lockerbie contain photographs as inserts.
Dark Elegy is arranged alphabetically and deals with the sculpture garden created by Suse Lowenstein. Various exhibitions of Dark Elegy may be studied along with photographs of the work.
Personal objects includes items that belonged to Alex Lowenstein. Items recovered from the crash site at Lockerbie are not included in this series.
Photographs and negatives contains digitized album that was loaned to the Archives by the Lowenstein family for scanning. Photographs of Alexander Lowenstein with his friends and family and on trips to Amsterdam and around London in 1988 are available. Photographs of various memorials dedicated to Alexander may also be found. This series contains a few items of note, including a copy of Senate Resolution 727 signed by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Researchers will also be interested in the maps used to plot locations of victim's bodies as well as Pan Am 103 passenger statistics, which includes a seating chart for the Boeing 747.Any photographs of Dark Elegy are held in that series and photographs that survived the bombing are contained in the Found in wreckage subseries of Subject files.
Subject files consists of topical files of general interest, but is also where the subseries for all materials found in the wreckage is located. All personal papers and items belonging to Alexander Lowenstein that were recovered after the disaster are listed in this series.
Writings contains Alexander Lowenstein's class notebooks, exam books and essays and papers he wrote as a student at Syracuse University. Scattered writings about Alex or the Pan Am 103 disaster are also housed here, with the exception of writings about Dark Elegy, which are included in the Dark Elegy series.
Alternative Formats
Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing these materials.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions for this collection.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers. Related collections include:
Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual Collection
Pan Am 103 Publications Collection
Selected Search Terms
Names
Associated Titles
Subjects
Types of material
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
The Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers were donated by Peter and Suse Lowenstein.
Processing Information
The Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers are processed.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: Cara A. Howe
Date: 2014
Revision history: Mar 2015 - Stylistic changes (VSOM);
Apr 2015 - Access restrictions removed (VSOM);
Jun 2016 - New accessions integrated (VSOM);
Feb 2018 - Stylistic changes (VSOM)
Arrangement
The Alexander Lowenstein Family Papers are arranged alphabetically by and within most series. Some subseries may be arranged chronologically and oversized materials are stored separately.
Inventory
| Artwork | |||||||||||
| Box 19 | Sketches by Alexander Lowenstein undated oversize | ||||||||||
| Dark Elegy | |||||||||||
| Box 9 | A broken heart still beats after your child dies, by Anne McCracken and Mary Semel, cover art undated | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Campaign for permanent home in Washington DC 2007 | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Clippings 1991-2001, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 19 | Clippings circa 1992-1996 oversize | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Correspondence circa 1989-1994 (3 folders) | ||||||||||
| Exhibitions | |||||||||||
| Box 9 | Douglass College 1997 | ||||||||||
| Box 19 | Douglass College 1997 oversize | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Others 1991, 1993-1994, 1997 | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Rutgers University 1996 | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Photographs and slides undated Dark Elegy at Syracuse University |
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| Box 19 | Photographs circa 1996 oversize | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Printed materials 1997 | ||||||||||
| Box 19 | Sketches by Lauren Ennist undated oversize | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Student comments on Dark Elegy film undated | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | "The Women of Lockerbie," by Deborah Brevoort, program art 2008 | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Writings about Dark Elegy 1996, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 9 | Writings by Suse Lowenstein undated Alexander Lowenstein by Suse Lowenstein Dark Elegy by Suse Lowenstein Letter to the editor from Suse Lowenstein Artist's statement by Suse Lowenstein |
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| Printed materials | |||||||||||
| Box 12 | Annual harbor lights gala honoring Suse and Peter Lowenstein 5 August 2006 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Birth certificate 1967 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Certificate of achievement from Syracuse University College of Arts and
Sciences circa 1989 Certificate of Achievement from College of Arts and Sciences |
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| Box 12 | Certifications 1975-1982 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Congressional Record: Senate Resolution 727 signed by Hillary Rodham
Clinton 9 December 2008 Senate Resolution 727 signed by Hillary Rodham Clinton |
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| Box 12 | Contraband Detection International 9 April 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Diploma, high school 1985 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Diploma, middle school 1981 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Maps, locations of bodies undated | ||||||||||
| Box 19 | Map, locations of bodies undated oversize Map of Locations of Bodies |
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| Box 12 | Mendham Township Middle School 1979-1981 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences convocation program 5 May 1990 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | West Morris Mendham High School 1985 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Zeta Psi Fraternity circa 1986-1989 | ||||||||||
| Subject files | |||||||||||
| Alexander Lowenstein | |||||||||||
| Box 12 | Grave plot at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in East Hampton, New York 1989 | ||||||||||
| Box 12 | Inter-fraternity council notes 1987-1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Personal documents 1988, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Planner 1983, August 1987-August 1988 (2 folders) | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Anis, Magdy and Fady [attorneys] disciplinary review board 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Authorizations to conduct criminal proceedings on behalf of others 1992 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | AVSEC international conference 26 October 1993 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Barringer Instruments, Inc. circa 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Body identification December 1988 Body Number 167, Alexander Lowenstein (not graphic) |
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| Box 12 | CDI's Security Service Bureau (SSB) 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Class schedules 1987 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Donahue syndication list 1 November 1989 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Eulogies 30 December 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Estate of Alexander Lowenstein 1991 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Federal Aviation Administration security bulletin process undated | ||||||||||
| Found in wreckage | |||||||||||
| Box 14 | Journal pages 1988 | ||||||||||
| Personal items | |||||||||||
| Box 15 | Audiocassette pouch undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Radio and cassette player undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Sweater undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Underwater camera undated | ||||||||||
| Box 15 | Wallet undated | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Personal papers 1988, undated Tower of London postcard British Rail pass |
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| Box 14 | Photographs 1988 Stonehenge |
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| Box 13 | Letter of recommendation for Alex Lowenstein 10 December 1984 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Memorials 1990 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Pan Am 103 passenger statistics compiled by Barry J. Flick [includes
seat assignments] undated Pan Am 103 passenger statistics |
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| Box 13 | Obituaries December 1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Report cards and grade reports 1979-1988 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Return of personal property 1989-1990 | ||||||||||
| Box 14 | Rubbing from Memorial Wall in Lockerbie, Scotland undated | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Trial at Camp van Zeist, Netherlands, verdict 31 January 2001 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | United States Mission to the United Nations 1992-1993 | ||||||||||
| Box 13 | Warsaw Convention and liability undated | ||||||||||